


Basil & Bergamot

by mikaylalwrites



Series: Candle Shop AU [1]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And You Can Fight Me, Banter, Bonding Over Loss, Candle Shop AU, Candles, Coffee, Custody Arrangements, Custody Battle, Family Bonding, Family Drama, First Dates, Friends to Lovers, Grief/Mourning, John Laurens is dead, Leather Jackets, Lovers to Friends, M/M, POV Alternating, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Alexander Hamilton/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, Past Character Death, Past Martha Washington/George Washington, Post-Divorce, Sad with a Happy Ending, Sibling Love, Sibling bickering, angie and pip are cute, bc that's what modern washington wears, homemade candles, not sorry, they both apply lol, you know how it is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:21:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24122770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikaylalwrites/pseuds/mikaylalwrites
Summary: George Washington has recently lost his wife to heart failure. All he has left is their shared homemade candle shop, that he intends to close.Alexander Hamilton has faced the untimely death of his best friend, a devastating divorce, alcoholism, and the loss of custody of his children. Though he hasn't seen his ex-wife in over a year, he can't help but visit the candle shop he frequented to buy her gifts. After reuniting with his children with the help of George, he realizes that the reason he wants the candle shop to remain open is not the same as it was before.
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton & Alexander Hamilton's Children, Alexander Hamilton/George Washington, Angelica Schuyler & Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler
Series: Candle Shop AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741924
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	Basil & Bergamot

**Author's Note:**

> is this the only hamilton candle shop au? well, if you want it, write it yourself i suppose.

In the back of Mount Vernon Homemade Candles, George Washington was melting paraffin wax flakes in a double boiler. Behind him was an array of fragrance oils, selected out of these for today’s candle were the scents of bergamot and basil. The art of candle-making was an activity he shared with his late wife, Martha. Years ago, when they were newly married, she voiced her dreams of owning a small candle shop in New York. George, though he wouldn’t admit it now, had viewed the dream as girlish and silly. Despite his opinion, he loved Martha and they brought their funds together to buy a place for rent in a series of older style shops. Later, he found that candle-making was rather therapeutic and not an entirely unprofitable business. The pair had run the business for nearly fifteen years together before her heart failed and the universe took her away from him. She never told him she suffered from a chronic illness. He had resented her for weeks after her death for never telling him. She wanted her life to be based on things other than how short it would be. 

Her death was fresh in George’s mind: it had been mere months ago. He continued the business despite her absence but he found himself seeing her in the reflection of every glass container and smelling her in every fragrance he mixed with wax. Going on like this would destroy what was left of his soul. The following week, he had intentions of meeting with businessmen who intended to convert his shelves lined with candles into cubicles for an office building. He dropped the fragrances into the wax and stirred. Not long later, he poured the wax into a jar prepared to receive it. 

Alexander Hamilton was in one of the worst states of his life. A series of disheartening events had befallen him: the untimely death of his most intimate friend, John Laurens, a divorce from whom he had considered the love of his life, and the loss of visitation rights of his children after a series of alcohol-ridden evenings. Laurens’ death was easier because he had his family to come to when he heard the news. In his Eliza’s arms he found the comfort in which to process the event that took his friend’s life. Many bad things had happened in his life but Alex never dreamed that he would lose his friend to a drive-by shooting. Months later, Eliza announced the divorce. He knew she didn’t mean to abandon him in such a vulnerable state but yet he came to blame her for the duration of the divorce. She never meant to take Angelica and Philip from him either. They were intended to live with Eliza full-time, for stability, and Alex would have full-visiting rights, as he and Eliza were never on bad terms, she’d simply fallen out of love with him. It was Alex’s fault that plan was fucked up: he’d lost himself in grief and at the bottom of whiskey glasses. Eliza and her lawyer changed the plan after that. The court went along with it. There was no one to blame but himself for that. 

That was nearly a year ago and Alex had cleaned up his act. He found himself in regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. He could let go of the booze but he could never seem to let go of Eliza. He never dared to see her in person though he knew where she often was but he often frequented a small candle shop not far from the home they once shared together. She had a fondness for candles and he had a fondness for her so he was a regular at the shop. The owners, Martha and George Washington, became friends of his over time. His heart broke when he heard of Martha’s death a few months ago. Alex never mentioned the divorce to George: it pained him too much and he wanted to let George grieve without his own problems to consider. George knew of his wife and hadn’t assumed anything changed. Mainly due to the fact that when asked, Alex said his ex-wife was ‘fine.’ He didn’t have any idea how she was. He could only hope she was fine, more than fine even. 

George was moving his candle to a better place to cool when the familiar chime of the front door opening drew him out of his thoughts. 

While turning around he said, “Welcome to Mount Vernon Homemade Candles. All candles are made in house. Soy candles are over- oh, good evening, Alexander.” 

“It’s an evening,” Alex said, shrugging. Though he was better than he had been a year ago, he hadn’t had a ‘good’ evening in a while. 

“How’s Mrs. Hamilton?” George asked. “I’ve been working on new scent combinations. I'm sure she’d like one of them.” 

Alex’s mind shot directly to his regular lie but something about the look in George’s eyes made it difficult to upkeep. He let himself frown. “I don’t know anymore.” 

George’s warm smile shifted to concern. “Is everything alright between you?” 

“There’s nothing between us anymore,” Alex admitted for the first time. He had yet to admit to even himself. “She filed for divorce a year ago. At first, I didn’t accept it. Then, after Martha, I couldn’t bother you with it.” 

George pulled two chairs out from the back of the shop.

“Sit,” he said. Alex sat and looked up at George. “You should’ve told me. After your friend, John Laurens, died it must have been so hard to have gone it alone.” 

“I’m used to being on my own.” Alex said. “I’m also used to fucking up.” George didn’t ask him to elaborate, he sat and waited until he was ready. “I haven’t seen my kids in over a year. It’s my fault for drowning myself in alcohol and making Eliza worry about the kids seeing me in my state. Now that I’m sober, I don’t know how to proceed. All I know is that I’m tired of court. I’ve been debating calling Eliza for a short visit at some point but I don’t know if I’m ready to see her again.” 

“You should call her,” George advised. “Martha and I never thought to have kids together but I’m sure they miss you. If you want to be a part of their lives again, I suggest getting to it as soon as possible.” 

“If Eliza says yes, would you come with me?” Alex asked. Before he could protest, Alex added, “I’m sure she’d love to see you and I really don’t want to go alone.” 

“I don’t know. It doesn’t seem like my place.” 

“You’re a friend of the family. Eliza likes you and so do I. Angie and Pip would like you too if they got to know you.” 

“Alright,” George conceded. “I’d love to see Eliza again. She always was a lovely woman.” 

Later that week, George and Alex stood in front of the apartment Eliza and the kids now lived in. Alex was having trouble bringing himself to knock. George patiently waited for ten minutes until it occurred to him that neither of them would ever enter at this rate. He knocked in Alex’s stead. Soon, Eliza opened the door and greeted them both pleasantly. Not long after they entered, the small hurricane of a child Philip Hamilton crashed into his father. 

“Daddy! Daddy!” he said, squishing Alex into a hug. “You scared me! I thought you were never coming back.” 

Alex’s eyes saddened at his son’s words. “I’m never going to leave you again, Philip. I missed you so much.” He looked down at his son. He smiled fondly at how much of him and Eliza was reflected in him. “You’re getting so big! How old are you now?” Philip put both of his hands out for his dad to see. “Ten! Wow, you’re a big boy now. Where’s your sister?”  
Philip turned and ran to get his sister, all while shouting her name. The youngest Hamilton peeked out from behind a door. As soon as she saw her father she came bounding towards him. Alex crouched slightly and opened his arms to receive his daughter. She snuggled into his chest and refused to let go for several minutes. Alex hated seeing how his absence had affected his kids. He never wanted them to worry he would leave one day and never return. Once Angelica was satisfied with her hug, she looked up at George. She backed away and hit behind Eliza. 

“Who’s that?” she asked, pointing at George. 

“George Washington, he’s a friend of your mother and I,” Alex explained. George gave her a small wave. She didn’t move from behind Eliza. 

“Wow, Dad, you’re so short,” Philip said looking at George. 

“Taller than you,” Alex retorted. 

“Not for long,” said Eliza. “He’s been eating all his vegetables. Isn’t that right, Pip?” 

“Not broccoli,” he said, scrunching his nose. “I hate broccoli.”  
“Me too, kid,” said Alex. Eliza shot him a look. “What? They look like trees and taste like them too. Might as well eat dirt.” 

“Well, I guess you won’t be eating any of my broccoli cheese soup,” Eliza said. “We have bread.” 

“Broccoli is only good smothered in cheese.” 

“Yeah!” Angelica and Philip yelled simultaneously. 

“Jinx, you owe me a soda,” Phillip said to his sister. 

“I don’t have any money. I’m seven!” Angelica complained. 

“Next time we go out for burgers I get my soda and yours.” 

“Nooooo! Mom!” 

“There’s no way I’m letting you drink that much soda, Pip,” said Eliza. “Can’t have you jumping off the walls.” 

“I get more soda! That’s the rules.” 

“Says who?” 

“I don’t know. The rules people.” 

“I’ll make you a deal. If you can find out who these ‘rules people’ are, I’ll get you an extra soda.” 

Philip cheered and raced to the computer. 

“Gives him hope and makes him do research. Plus, I kind of want to know too.” 

Before Philip could finish his research, everyone gathered at the table for dinner. Eliza had put the broccoli cheese soup she had made into 5 bowls and placed a piece of garlic bread by each bowl. The kids had juice and the adults had water, each for a different reason. The atmosphere was rather stiff other than the kids occasionally bickering amongst themselves or talking about classmates. Eliza and Alex had little to say to each other. George felt that talking would be intrusive. 

Midway through the meal, Philip asked out of the blue, “Daddy, is George your boyfriend?” 

Alex gracelessly spat his water back into his glass. George grew more awkward than he had already been for the duration of the evening. 

“Why would you ask that, honey?” Eliza asked Philip while Alex wiped his chin with a napkin. 

“Mrs. Taylor read us a story about different families,” Philip explained. “One had two dads and Riley asked how two boys know how they love each other. She said they look at each other like moms and dads look at each other. Dad keeps looking at George funny so I thought maybe, I don’t know.” 

“We aren’t boyfriends, Pip,” Alex said. “Just friends.”  
Philip nodded. 

What Alex’s son said didn’t leave George for the rest of the night. It lingered as he fell asleep. He even recalled it when Alex came back to the shop the following week. 

“What can I get for you?” he asked casually, despite his thoughts. 

“You can’t close the shop,” Alex blurted. “It’s a good business.” 

George’s head snapped up. “What? How do you know about that?” 

“I saw the men in suits last weekend,” Alex said. “You can’t let them turn this place into an office building. You make good candles.” 

George avoided eye contact with him. He was trying to convince himself that he did not like the way Alex’s eyes shimmered gold under the lights of his shop. “It reminds me too much of Martha. I see her everywhere. I’m tired of seeing ghosts, Alexander.” 

Alex grew a little frantic, much to George’s surprise. “I don’t want to let go.” 

“Neither do I,” George admitted. “We all have to eventually.” 

“I don’t want things to change.” 

George allowed himself to look up at Alex, whose eyes glimmered with sadness. Wild hairs that escaped his bun surrounded his face. For reasons he could not articulate, he wanted to push those hairs behind his ears. He pushed away the thought. He was still grieving. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“It’s not even about Eliza,” Alex found himself saying. “She’s why I came the first time and why I kept coming but she’s not why I want to keep coming.” 

“You can get your candles somewhere else. I can’t do this anymore.” 

“It’s not about the candles,” Alex said. 

“If it’s not about your ex-wife or the candles, what is it?” 

“I can’t believe my son was right,” Alex chuckled. “A ten-year-old knew my own feelings before I did. How stupid is that?” 

“You want to be my boyfriend?” George asked. 

“I want to try to be, yeah.” 

Alex paused. “Do you want to get coffee sometime?” 

George thought about Martha, the candle shop, and the man in front of him. Was selling the shop the right way to move on? Would giving his heart to another be better? He didn’t know but he didn’t want to waste this opportunity. 

“Sure.” 

The next time Alex saw his kids, George was busy at the candle shop so he went alone. 

“We’ve got some intelligent kids, Eliza” he said between sips of after dinner coffee. 

“Hmm?” 

“I have a date this Saturday.” 

“That’s great, Alex. With who?” 

“You know how I said our kids are intelligent?” Alex asked. Eliza nodded. “I’m getting coffee with George.” 

Eliza laughed. “Wait, you’re serious?” Alex nodded. “Nice. George is a lovely person.” 

“Yeah, he is.” 

That Saturday, Alex spent a chunk of his afternoon trying to figure out what one wears to coffee. On one hand, it might be chilly out and his mint green sweater might suit him well. On the other, the sweater was fairly baggy and a button up would look nicer. He decided to text Eliza. She always knew what to wear. 

**to eliza:** mint sweater or white button up? 

**from eliza:** you look cute in the sweater but sexy in the button up

**from eliza:** depends on what you’re going for 

What was he going for? Eventually, he checked the air outside and decided he would rather be baggy and cute than shivering. He pulled on the mint sweater and headed to the coffee shop where he was meeting George. Unsurprisingly, Alex was a little late and George had already picked out a table. He had already ordered them both coffee. 

“I ordered you a black coffee,” he said. “There’s cream if you want some.” 

“No, I like mine black.” Alex’s gaze fluttered over George. “I didn’t peg you as the type to wear leather jackets.” 

George shrugged. “Leather jackets and candle-making aren’t mutually exclusive.” 

“Fair point.” 

“I don’t think you ever told me what you do for a living.” 

“I’m a lawyer,” Alex said. “Keeps me busy.” 

“You’re a little chaotic for a lawyer.” 

“Boring lawyers don’t get anything done.” 

George smiled. “And you do?” 

“Occasionally.” 

“What did you do before candle-making?” Alex asked. 

“I was in the army,” George said. “My career in it was over not long after I married Martha. She worried, even when I wasn’t deployed. I’m too old to return to it.”

“You aren’t that old.” 

George laughed. “Too old for bootcamp and war.” 

“What’s your favorite scent of candle?” 

“Ones that remind me of summer. Tropical scents.” 

“I always liked ones that smelled like flowers,” Alex admitted. “I was lucky Eliza liked them too.” 

Soon, both men had finished their coffee. Alex resigned to looking out the window at the midday sky. George watched him, taking in every bit of his face. If he were a good photographer, he would capture this moment. He was stuck trying to memorize it so that he could reminisce on it later. Quicker than either man wanted, it was time to part. They walked until Alex found the subway train that would take him home. While George was never one for public displays of affection, Alex couldn’t help placing a quick peck to his cheek as the train rolled in. George didn’t have time to articulate a response before the younger man was on the train and out of sight.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry i fucked up hamilton's life but hey, i fixed it. 
> 
> AUs are my jam and if you ever want a second fic done in any of my AUs, let me know. better yet, if you have any AUs you want to see but can't be bothered to write, let me know. 
> 
> please leave kudos, a comment, or both if you liked it. it keeps my candles burning. 
> 
> \- mikayla [(violetsbaudelaire)](https://violetsbaudelaire.tumblr.com)


End file.
